2013 Minnesota Legislative Voting Record & Bill Summary
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MINNESOTA CHAMBER of COMMERCE 2013 Minnesota Legislative Voting Record & Bill Summary Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................... 3 Legislature Bills & Commentary Education & Workforce, Elections ..................... 4 Energy, Environment ........................................ 5 Fiscal, Health Care ............................................ 6 Labor, Transportation ....................................... 7 Senate Voting Record ............................................. 8 House Voting Record .............................................. 10 The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will proactively lead the business community statewide to: • Advance pro-business, responsible Minnesota public policy that creates jobs and grows the economy • Provide member services to address evolving business needs • Be nonpartisan For the first time in more than 20 reforms and initiatives. The result years, the Minnesota Legislature is more government at higher and executive branch were governed cost with no guarantee of by single-party control. The 2012 better results or improved election swept Democrats into quality of life for Minnesotans. the majority with Governor Mark Government spending will Dayton at midpoint in his first term. grow by nearly $3 billion, an 8% increase in FY 2014-2015, With this political backdrop, and nearly $4 billion, an 11% the Minnesota Chamber worked increase in FY 2016-2017. hard on behalf of our 2,300 members statewide to bring The 2013 Legislative Voting balance to the debate at the Capitol. Record includes votes on key We were successful in mitigating issues based on our members’ a number of legislative proposals priorities. Our successes are that would have been harmful measured not only by legislation to businesses in our state. passed, but also by legislation One example was our broad blocked. It’s unfortunate, but grassroots campaign that effectively as a result of the 2012 elections, limited Governor Dayton’s proposal we found ourselves doing to extend the state sales tax to more blocking than passing. business-to-business services. That means we did not make Had it passed as the Governor the progress we had hoped for in proposed, this new tax would strengthening our state’s business have cost Minnesota businesses and job creation environment. $3.2 billion. Another was blocking an increase in the state minimum We are grateful to the senators wage far beyond federal levels and representatives who listened and those of neighboring states. to the concerns of employers and voted in support of the Despite these efforts, the Chamber’s position. After you session’s results will have a review our report, please take significant impact on employers time to thank those policy- and Minnesota’s economic makers who voted with us on competitiveness going forward. key issues. Don’t neglect those Rather than prioritizing spending, who did not. Use their votes to reforming and redesigning begin a conversation about the operations and services, the impact their actions will have Governor and Legislature chose on your business. Help them to raise more than $2.3 billion in understand why, had they taxes to resolve a $627 million voted with the Chamber, your short-term budget shortfall, business would be stronger impose a host of new fees and and, potentially, employing regulations, and roll back bipartisan more of their constituents. 3 2013 Legislature Bill Descriptions & Staff Commentary IOWA EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE Longitudinal Education Database (SLEDS); Minnesota Jobs Outlook DEVELOPMENT and (4) improved affordability for students. Minnesota’s While the Chamber strongly supported these Electric Rates: Education and workforce development are provisions, proposed spending levels for this Falling in the Rankings priority issues for the Minnesota Chamber. budget item and other sectors of the state In 2013, we sought solutions to address budget required substantial revenue increases, PMS 451 PMS 633 PMS 124 PMS 484 PMS 3985 PMS 7496 the immediate workforce need for a greater causing serious concern. MCC MCBS Foundation PAC Grow WW supply of skilled workers and improve the strength of the education-to-workforce Legislator Spotlight: pipeline. PMS 300 Workforce Business MCCE COMMERCIAL Connection Rep. Tim Mahoney COMPETITIVENESS HF 729 - Workforce Development DFL-St. Paul Provisions in the Omnibus Jobs Rep. Jason Isaacson 1,031,000 job 720,000 of these DFL-Shoreview vacancies over jobs will require and Economic Development Bill * the next decade some degree of PMS 462 4695 PC PMS 4485 PMS 470 PMS 3292 PMS 132 Sen. Terri Bonoff Newsletter News Morning Manuf. Small Biz Webinar Policy postsecondary Dig. The Chamber’s workforce development DFL-Minnetonka education INDUSTRIAL bill (SF 899/HF 1046), carried by COMPETITIVENESS Senator Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, These legislators were key advocates PMS 506 PMS 546 PMS 3308 PMS 262 PMS 655 PMS 417 for advancing workforce development HF 630 - Amendment to Lg Updates Board of Membership Committees Secondary Secondary and Representative Tim Mahoney, Priorities Directors DFL – St. Paul, was ultimately included policies. Representative Tim Mahoney Omnibus K-12 Education Omnibus was chief author of Chamber-led within the Omnibus Jobs and Economic Bill - Minimum Standards for High OVERALL Development Bill (HF 729). The bill legislation requiring production of a School Graduation (Erickson/Pratt) COMPETITIVENESS workforce report that will be used to contained measures to strengthen workforce The Chamber advocated keeping PMS 5195 PMS 5405 PMS 430 PMS 7403 better understand Minnesota’s workforce Events Events Events Events development through publication of labor Minnesota high school diplomas needs. Freshman Representative Jason market supply and demand reports, use meaningful by proposing a minimum Isaacson developed legislation that All data is from the U.S. Department of Energy of data to guide postsecondary program level of proficiency required for graduation December 2012 Energy Information Administration creates a customized training program offerings, and better use of workforce centers on the new suite of high school exams. in manufacturing that integrates to assist adults and students with career High school diplomas should be based academic instruction and on-the-job $ 25 pathway counseling. In the Omnibus Jobs on multiple measures, including an Unemployment Rates by State training to meet employers’ training 7 Bill, we also advanced a pilot program in assessment by which students must 2013 2011 2013 needs. Senator Terri Bonoff was chief T een T een Overall manufacturing to enable students to receive demonstrate mastery of fundamental author of Chamber-led workforce Wisconsin 20.3% 20.4% 7.1% * These rates are for 16-19 year-olds. 2010 and 2011 averages are BLS tabulations of CPS data. Current teen rate is customized education paired with on-the- South Dakota 11.4% 15.6% 4.1% academics. While the Chamber was not based on 2012 BLS tabulations of Current Population Survey development legislation, and crafted North Dakota 12.4% 15.5% 3.3% job skills training. The Chamber strongly successful in establishing a minimum (BLS and Census) data. an omnibus higher education bill Minnesota 18.6% 19.1% 5.3% supported these provisions; however, the proficiency level, we will have a role in Iowa 16.8% 14.2% 4.7% containing key measures needed vote on this bill was not scored due to other development of the new assessments as a to improve the strength of the provisions in the bill (discussed below). member of the Career Pathways Advisory education-to-workforce pipeline. Task Force. SF 1236 - Omnibus Higher HF 630 - Final K-12 Education Education Bill * ELECTIONS * Omnibus Conference By 2018, 70 percent of the jobs in Minnesota Committee Report The Chamber advocated for moving the will require some postsecondary training. statewide primary election from August That urgency compelled the Chamber The Chamber opposed several major to June starting in 2014 in order to drive to examine postsecondary education policy and finance provisions in the K-12 stronger voter turnout, maximize candidate in Minnesota and advocate policy Education Omnibus Conference Committee voter contact efforts, and ensure a more recommendations to ensure students are Report. Although the bill made investments representative candidate selection process. ready for postsecondary education, can in early childhood education, all-day Efforts to effect this change enjoyed afford and are benefiting from postsecondary kindergarten, and the general education bipartisan support in the House (HF 867), experiences, and are well prepared for the formula, other provisions required us to but the legislation did not reach a final vote. workforce. The Omnibus Higher Education oppose the bill. The Chamber’s primary In its omnibus elections bill (SF 667), Bill contained several policy provisions objections included lowered expectations the Senate considered moving the primary supported by the Chamber, including (1) for obtaining a high school diploma (see to June but not until 2016; however, enhanced performance funding measures below), and returning to a statewide general the measure was removed before the for the University of Minnesota and the education levy without a corresponding final vote. Prospects for the bill next year Minnesota State Colleges and University reduction in the statewide business property are uncertain because any changes to voting System; (2) investment in Teach for America;